Game 7 is less than 12 hours away.
Thunder. Pacers. 8 ET on ABC.
Which team will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy?
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
June 22, 2025
Game 7 Guide: Everything you need to get ready before Game 7 tips off at 8 ET
Iconic Moments: Relive the best moments from some of the first 19 Finals Game 7s
New Experience: OKC & Indiana have both played in Game 7s – but none like this
On The Ground: Hear from both teams ahead of the biggest game of their lives
Unforgettable: Hakeem caps a ‘Dream’ season with Houston’s first NBA title
1. THE ULTIMATE GAME 7 VIEWING GUIDE
It all comes down to this. One game to decide a champion.
Game 7. NBA Finals. 8 ET on ABC.
The grand finale to a thrilling series between the West champion Thunder and East champion Pacers.
But only one will claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy tonight in Oklahoma City.
With the game less than 12 hours away, here’s everything you need to know prior to tip off, with links to dive deeper into each story.
- NBA Finals Hub: Stay updated in real-time with the latest news and access LIVE from OKC. Turn on your notifications so you don’t miss a thing
- Game 7 Preview: Shaun Powell on both teams getting set for the biggest game of their careers
- 7 Key Stats For Game 7: John Schuhmann breaks down seven must-know stats and trends heading into tonight’s clash
- Finals MVP Ladder: How much will Game 7 impact who takes home the hardware named after the great Bill Russell?
- Chapter 20: Thunder-Pacers marks the 20th NBA Finals decided by a Game 7 – and the first since 2016
- The First 19: Before tonight’s season finale, look back at the past Game 7s in Finals history
A.J. Mast/NBAE via Getty Images
In addition to winning the first NBA title for their respective cities, here are three things on the line for both the Thunder and Pacers tonight.
Thunder (68-14 regular season, 15-7 postseason, 83-21 overall)
- 84 Wins & Chip: OKC can become the third team in NBA history to have 84+ victories (reg+post) and win the NBA title in the same season, joining the 1995-96 Bulls (87-13) and 1996-97 Bulls (84-17)
- Youth Movement: OKC can become the second-youngest NBA champion in the last 70 years, behind only the 1976-77 Blazers
- MVP & Champion: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can become the first player since Steph Curry in 2015 to win league MVP and the NBA title in the same season
Pacers (50-32 regular season, 15-7 postseason, 65-39 overall)
- First 4 Ever: Indy can become the first 4-seed – and only the second team below a 3-seed – to ever win the NBA title under the current 16-team Playoff format (since 1984)
- Win Differential: The Pacers can complete the biggest upset in Finals history based on the difference in regular-season victories between the two teams (18)
- Coaching History: Rick Carlisle can become the fourth head coach to win the NBA title with two different franchises – and only the first to do so leading them to their first NBA championship
Chasing History – the NBA’s all-access pass to the Playoffs – has chronicled every twist and turn of this instant classic series. Dive in to get caught up on how we arrived at tonight’s historic moment.
- Game 1 – Pacers Stun Thunder: Tyrese Haliburton comes up huge again and Indiana takes a 1-0 series lead
- Game 2 – Thunder Bounce Back: OKC dominates Game 2 behind SGAs 34 points and a strong bench performance to even the Finals
- Game 3 – Indiana’s Game: With the series shifting to Indy, the Pacers get a big bench boost and slow SGA to top the Thunder
- Game 4 – MVP Takes Over: SGA delivers when it matters most, scoring 15 of his 35 points in the 4th quarter as OKC takes Game 4
- Game 5 – Thunder Take Control: As a raucous OKC crowd cheers him on, Jalen Williams scores a Playoff career-high 40 to give the Thunder a 3-2 lead
- Game 6 – Going The Distance: With Tyrese Haliburton playing through injury, the Pacers roll past the Thunder to even the Finals and set up a historic Game 7
Since Indy’s Game 6 win set up tonight’s Game 7, the basketball world has been buzzing about this series, these teams, these players and what it will take to decide a champion.
Catch up on some of our favorite reads:
- USA TODAY: NBA Finals Game 7 history: Thunder-Pacers in 20th winner-take-all matchup
- The Oklahoman: NBA Finals roundtable: How can OKC Thunder win Game 7? What is the path for Indiana?
- Associated Press: Inside the numbers: Pacers, Thunder set to play Game 7 for NBA title on Sunday night
- The Ringer: An NBA Finals for the Ages, a Game 7 for Immortality
2. ICONIC NBA FINALS GAME 7 MOMENTS
There have been 154 Game 7s in NBA Playoff history.
Only 19 have come in the NBA Finals.
Until tonight.
Either the Thunder or Pacers will join an exclusive club – becoming only the 20th team to ever go the distance in the Finals and emerge victorious.
They’ll put themselves alongside some of the game’s greatest teams and greatest players – the ones that elevated when the stakes were at their highest.
From Bill Russell leading the Celtics to five such titles (1957, ’60, ’62, ’66 , ’69) to LeBron James winning the last two with Miami (2013) and Cleveland (2016) and a host of legends in between.
- Willis Reed playing through injury to inspire the 1970 Knicks
- Hakeem Olajuwon outdueling Patrick Ewing in 1994 (more in Section 5 ⬇️)
- Larry Bird (1984) and Magic Johnson (1988) adding to their ring collections
- Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles winning the most recent Lakers-Celtics Finals clash in 2010
Stay Tuned: Later today, the NBA will release something special for Game 7: a cinematic experience 9 years in the making.
- Using rare footage across 8 decades of Finals Game 7s, this piece captures the pressure & emotion of playing on the game’s highest – and most dramatic – stage
- Follow @NBA and turn on your push notifications in the NBA App to be the first to know
- Want an early look? Tap to relive some of the most iconic celebrations in NBA Finals Game 7 history, when legends cemented their legacies as champs
Which players have authored some of the greatest games in Finals Game 7 history?
Check out these record setters:
- Most Points: Jerry West holds the scoring record in Game 7 of the NBA Finals with 42 points for the Lakers in a 108-106 loss to the Celtics in 1969
- Most Rebounds: Bill Russell grabbed a Finals Game 7 record 40 rebounds to go with 30 points in Boston’s 110-107 OT win over the Lakers in 1962
- Most Assists: Walt Frazier had an NBA Finals Game 7 record of 19 assists (along with 36 pts & 7 reb) in New York’s 113-99 victory over the Lakers in 1970
- Triple-Doubles: West (1969), James Worthy (1988) and LeBron (2016) have the only Game 7 triple-doubles in Finals history – all on their way to winning Finals MVP
3. GAME 7 EXPERIENCE: A NEW STAGE AWAITS
Tonight’s game is brand new territory for every player that steps on the hardwood.
- No player on the Thunder or Pacers has ever played in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals
- Only three players – Indiana’s T.J. McConnell, Myles Turner and James Johnson and none from OKC – were even in the NBA the last time a Finals reached Game 7
How each player responds to the brightest spotlight they’ve ever faced will be telling. Who raises their game? Who can overcome the nerves? Who will be overwhelmed by the tension?
Both teams enter tonight’s matchup with some Game 7 experience under their belt – 33 total games between OKC (17) and Indy (16) – just none in the Finals yet.
Zach Beeker & Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
For the Thunder, they only need to look back to the West Semis against Denver – a series that has played out nearly identical to the Finals so far.
- Second Chance: Up 3-2, OKC lost on the road with a chance to clinch, but bounced back with a 32-point win in Game 7 at home
- All-Stars Lead: SGA (35 pts, 4 ast, 3 stl) and Jalen Williams (24 pts, 7 ast, 5 reb) combined for 59 points in the win-or-go-home clash
- Resiliency: The Thunder are 18-2 (.900) following a loss this season (reg+post) and have lost back-to-back games only twice all season – and not since April 6
For the Pacers, most of this year’s core was intact when Indy defeated New York in Game 7 of last year’s East Semis – also in a scenario much like this Finals.
- Rallying Back: Down 3-2, the Pacers won Game 6 at home and followed it with a record-breaking Game 7 win at The Garden
- The Record? The high-stakes atmosphere didn’t throw the Pacers off their game as they posted the highest shooting percentage in Game 7 history (67.1%)
4. ON THE GROUND IN OKC AHEAD OF GAME 7
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
On the eve of the biggest game in their respective careers, the Thunder and Pacers hit the practice court and met with the media on Saturday to discuss the climax to a series that will go down in NBA history.
- “Somewhere down the line, win or lose, it’ll be cool to have your name etched in history.” – Jalen Williams on playing in the 5th Finals Game 7 in the past 30 years
- “I think the most important part about winning a championship is you etch your name in history as a group.” – Tyrese Haliburton on adding the Pacers to the list of NBA champions
- “These are special moments for both teams… for our league… for the world-wide interest in the game.” – Indiana coach Rick Carlisle
- “It’s a privilege to be able to play in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.” – OKC coach Mark Daigneault on embracing the moment
There was a calm before the storm on Saturday inside Paycom Center. The players anticipated what the Game 7 atmosphere will be like from one of the loudest fanbases in the league.
- “I’m excited just to see how much the city shows out … Paycom will have a very different energy than it’s probably ever had.” – Jalen Williams on what he expects from the home crowd in Game 7.
While both teams were locked in for their final preparations for a pressure-packed Game 7, Saturday’s media day still had its share of lighthearted moments.
- Indiana’s Ben Sheppard shared the story of the new mustache celebration he broke out after hitting the 3rd quarter buzzer-beater in Game 6
- What is the most T.J. McConnell play? His teammates debate the signature way that T.J. impacts the game
- OKC’s Chet Holmgren reflected on watching his first Finals back in 2011 and trying to recreate moves in the driveway during timeouts
While the Game 7 drama is set to go down in OKC, fans from all over the world will be tuning in – with a few sharing their predictions.
- Who You Got? Bryce Young, Russell Wilson, Ciara, Dwight Howard, Stephon Marbury, Damar Hamlin and C.J. Stroud made their picks from Fanatics Fest
- Finals Memories: Celebrities shared their favorite Finals memories while catching up with the Larry O’Brien Trophy
- Pregame Routine: Will any of the Pacers or Thunder follow Kai Cenat’s four steps to prepare for Game 7?
5. UNFORGETTABLE: ‘DREAM’ DELIVERS HOUSTON’S FIRST TITLE
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
One of the first 19 Game 7s in NBA history took place 31 years ago to the day – June 22, 1994 – when Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to their first championship and capped off a historic season.
Only three players in NBA history have ever earned the following three honors – regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP – Michael Jordan, Olajuwon and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Hakeem is the only one to pull off that trifecta in the same season, while also becoming the first international player to win Finals MVP.
The 1993-94 season saw Hakeem repeat as DPOY and win his first league MVP after leading Houston to a then franchise-record 58 wins.
In the Playoffs, the 2-seed Rockets beat Portland (3-1), Phoenix (4-3) and Utah (4-1) to reach the NBA Finals and a matchup with New York.
Olajuwon shared his thoughts on the series and winning the title a decade after Houston took him with the No. 1 pick in the 1984 Draft.
On the matchup with Ewing and confidence in his teammates:
“I have tremendous respect for Patrick. Somebody that you don’t really have any advantage [against]. He’s a dominant big man. I’m a dominant big man, so it’s always a battle.
“So I look at that series as this is an ideal championship series, because now you’re playing against another dominant center in the Finals. This is the way it’s supposed to be.
“When I looked at my teammates, I was confident that with this team, I have to play my role. We think we can beat them and we have the home-court advantage so we’re supposed to beat them.”
After winning Game 6 to force Game 7 at The Summit:
“Well, if I’m going to play a championship game, I want to play it at home. I’m so very happy to be at home.”
On delivering a championship to Houston:
“If you write a book, you can’t write it any better. It has been a great season for us, and I’m just so happy to bring a championship to this city, Houston. It means a lot.
“The long journey to get there makes it so much more special. You can win 10-12 championships, but the experience of the first one, you’ll never forget.”
